Press Release No. 10/72

Press Release: IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn to Visit Africa to Deepen Dialogue on the Continent’s Economic Challenges

March 4, 2010

Mr. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), will visit Africa March 7-11, to discuss opportunities and challenges facing African economies in the wake of the global crisis. Mr. Strauss-Kahn will visit Kenya on March 7-8, South Africa on March 9-10, and Zambia on March 10-11.

Mr. Strauss-Kahn will discuss the recent successes as well as the challenges the continent needs to address, including the impact of global climate change, a problem that disproportionately affects Africa. He will participate in a panel debate “Africa’s Economic Transformation: The Road Ahead”, which will also include Kenya’s Prime Minister Raila Odinga; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Uhuru Kenyatta; Nobel Peace Prize Winner Wangari Maathai; rock star and activist Bob Geldof; and Transparency International’s Akere Muna.

During his visit to the three countries, Mr. Strauss-Kahn will hold a series of meetings with the authorities, trade unions, representatives of civil society, and the private sector. He will also give a speech on the global financial crisis at the University of Witswaterand during his visit to South Africa.

“I am very glad to come back to Africa and continue our engagement with African leaders and citizens in a fruitful and open policy dialogue,” Mr. Strauss-Kahn said. "It is an opportunity for us to deepen the dialogue on issues concerning the continent’s main challenge—sustaining solid growth in the post-crisis world to put Africa on the path of prosperity.”